Meet Mariana.

Born with a rare sun allergy, she suffers from severe burns covering her face from years exposure to the intense rays of the Mexican sun. We first heard her story last year when her family received a home of hope, that provided her with the necessary protection from the sun for the first time in her life.

Last year, Mariana, her mother and baby sister headed to America with some of our staff for a surgery that replaced the skin around her eyes.

This rare allergy has long kept Mariana from enjoying any form of a normal life—to the point that she has never gone to public school or played with other children in her neighborhood.

Partnering with Fresh Start, a surgical gifts organization local to San Diego, Mariana was able to receive the help that she was previously unable to afford.

Our staff often visit Mariana to play board games and encourage her throughout the whole process

Over the last year, she has since had a full-face graft and has been taught how to protect her skin. Although she will still encounter struggles, she has a new perspective on the future and is no longer in pain from the scarring. With the help of a new wardrobe of protective clothing, she will be able to attend school for the first time in her life.

Today, Mariana holds on to HOPE. She is growing into a beautiful young woman full of confidence and with a bright future. Recently we taught Mariana how to apply a simple makeup foundation to her face to help protect her skin and cover her scars. As we finished, she began planning the makeup she would wear on her wedding day.

In some cases the families we build for with Homes of Hope need more than just a home. It is our joy as staff of Homes of Hope to be able to go above and beyond- helping families to not just survive—but to thrive.

“…The Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor—to comfort all who mourn, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. (Isaiah 61:1&3)